WORDS
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QUOTE OF THE DAY
"I had rather teach one man to pray than ten men to preach."
D.L. Moody
THE GOOD STUFF
WORDS
by Ashley Tschopp | Member at Redeemer
“Death and Life are in the power of the tongue and those who love it will eat its fruits.”
Proverbs 18:21
Soon after school ended, I found myself standing in the kitchen one afternoon bewildered at the plethora of words swirling around the room. I have two tween girls, so some days do involve a lot of listening and sorting things out. However, after a year of being together a little extra, it was clear that a casual approach to communication had set a tone. And I knew as a mom, I had contributed to this culture of words way more than I wanted to admit.
God has much to say about words. After all, they really are His.
He spoke the world into existence and used them to provide order, meaning, and counsel. (Genesis 1)
Jesus’ words on earth taught, rebuked, comforted, cast out demons, and healed with power. (Gospels)
His word will remain forever. (Matthew 24:5)
All that exists is being sustained by His word. (Hebrews 1:3)
You wouldn’t turn far in Scripture and find many more things to add to the list. Always perfect. Never casual, neutral, vague, or void. Always moving and giving direction. Life.
Reflecting on these truths has begun to evoke worship of our Great God and His powerful word. It’s also grounded me in a few truths and questions that are yielding better fruit in my own heart and home.
It’s good to feel the gravity of words. We use them all day every day, and it’s easy to slip into causal expression. His word tells us we too hold power in our tongues… life and death, in fact. If my words aren’t neutral, which direction are they moving?
As Paul Tripp would say, “Our word problems are really heart problems”. I can try to manage my speech or try new ways to communicate, but what I speak reflects what is already brewing inside. It’s not my family or circumstances that are the problem. It’s my heart. What do my speech and tone reveal about what I really believe and desire about my present circumstances?
I really can choose life because of Christ. In Romans 7, Paul tells us about an internal battle between flesh and spirit waged in the heart. I’m clinging to the promise that through Christ, my desires need not reign: “Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God – through Jesus Christ our Lord?” In His life and sacrifice, victory is possible. Where can I die to self and set my mind on what the Spirit desires?
Thanks be to God, peace, and life ARE beginning to bud more and more in our hearts and home. I hope you’ll find encouragement in what we’ve learned too.
STAFF PICKS
WATCH/LISTEN
Look At the Book
We must know how to study the Bible. It's not just a matter of reading our Bibles in the sense that we see the ink on the page and can understand the words, but do we see how these words are working together to communicate the reality that God wants us to see? Do we know how to really study our Bibles?
John Piper's segments he calls "Look at the Book" or "LAB," have been a tremendous gift in sharpening my Bible study. We basically get to watch how Piper interacts and exegetes a passage in front of him. Watching his LAB work will equip you for better Bible study. As we begin the book of Ephesians this Sunday, take a look at his LAB on an overview of Ephesians chapters 1-3.
Brock Graham | Lead Pastor